The Swarm Descends
by Dominic Trungove
Summary: A story of how a small agri world was brought to ruin by the tyranids.
1. Vox messages found

*Imperial vox log from unknown guardsmen, recovered after the planet was found.*

Ah, life's pretty good. This planet hasn't been invaded, and it's a relatively peaceful planet, considering it's so close to the edge of the galaxy. And, I just got promoted, just for shooting some guy who tried to kill the lead commissar. *Vox slightly distorted from laughter.* Can't say I blame the poor bastard. That commissar is a right-nasty piece of work, he is. Anyway, Now I'm a sergeant. Last week, down at the pub, when me and the mates were having a drink to celebrate my promotion, and one of the lads, think it was Jenkins, said that there were rumours that the astropaths of the orbital defense force had just sensed the sounds of screaming and then silence from his comrades, right near this system. And there was some mention of genestealers in there, but I'm probably imagining things, I was pretty drunk when he said that. But, anyway, last night, I was doing a parade with the rest of the company, and I saw some woman, about my age, giving me the eye! Well, I think that I'm gonna try and find her tomorrow, as I'm on leave for a few days.

*Second post from log, found soon after the first.*

I finally found that girl! She and I are going to go to the pub in a couple days. But anyway, I've decided to post a little bad news. More rumours, so haven't been confirmed. Two days ago, apparently some sort of meteor shower was going through the sky. One landed quite nearby the capital city, and a few men were sent to investigate, sending vox messages regularly. Their last report was when they reached the meteor. They said it looked alien, kinda fleshy and organic. But, the problem is, that was the last post, and they haven't been seen or heard from again, but a farmer says that very same night he heard screams coming from the crater. Probably trying to stir things up, so I reported him to the commissar. But it is strange how a full unit of guardsmen suddenly went missing in a night, right near an organic meteor, and a farmer who lived near there said he heard screams... Nah, I shouldn't worry.

*Third vox recording, found two hours after the second.*

I am a lucky man! I just managed to get in bed with the girl, but it turns out she's only in the city for a few more days, and then she's going back to the capital, which is pretty bad. But anyway, now I'm back on duty, so I can't see her. But I overheard two country folk talking about how some sort of creatures have been seen near the meteor crash site, and also in about three other crash sites, and how more and more of these reports are coming in. Odd. Anyway, after I signed off from duty yesterday, I went over to the library near my apartment. I read up on this sort of thing happening, but I couldn't really find anything, apart from one word, and that single word kept me up all night last night, so I was almost shot for falling asleep on the job. Tyranids.

*Fourth vox log, found under the wreckage of a tall building, just after the third.*

Well, it's been confirmed. Tyranids are invading the planet. Last week, the capital city was destroyed, and everyone on the planet is terrified. I just commanded my men to fight off a couple lictors, and let me tell you I'm terrified. But I found some respect for the commissar, as he inspired all of the men to take heart and bring down the nids. Afterwards, we were allowed to go home, and I've been awake ever since, for a few hours now. I'll never forget the carnage I saw a few hours ago, and I'm terrified I'll see even more, and even worse. After I remembered how one of the nids tore one of my men apart limb from limb, I threw up, and I think I might again. Holy blood of the emperor. I just realised I never learned the name of that girl, and she lived in the capital city. I never even said goodbye. No...


	2. The Inquisition Arrives

The relief fleet broke from warp space into orbit over the planet Veldor VII. "What is going on?" Inquisitor Magnar asked. He glanced at the world, then glanced at his picture of what it should look like. He turned accusingly to his pilot. "Are you sure this is where the distress signal came from?" he asked. "This planet looks nothing like what it should. There should be three oceans, two small, one large, and heavily forested areas. This place is just a barren wasteland." "Lord Inquisitor, This is the world Veldor VII. The scans say so, and our tech isn't faulty. The distress call came from this exact planet." "Well, send a squad of guardsmen onto the planets surface to investigate." "Yes sir." the pilot said into his vox next, "Send a team of guardsmen to investigate the planet. Inquisitors orders." There was a crackling reply saying "Yes sir." The Inquisitor walked over to where the distress signal had been recorded and played it again.

*Vox xrackles, distorted by the distance from which the distress signal was sent.*

Whoever is near u-*vox distorts* -eas help. Planet is being invaded by *Vox distorts again*-s. If you *Vox distorts yet again, infuriating the Inquisitor.*- hear us, please, send he* vox once again distorts.* immediately, or our planet will be destroyed.

*Distress signal ends.*

The Valkyrie landed. One of the guardsmen muttered, "Descent shoulda been a lot easier than that." suddenly, the access ramp clanged down and all ten guardsmen clutched their throats. "AIR!" was the last word of six of them as they all died in the non-existant, airless atmosphere. The pilot heard the cries and realised the planets atmosphere was gone, quickly closing the ramp and hoping to spare the lives of a few guardsmen, not knowing all were dead and how ones head had burst from the strain of being in no atmosphere. The pilot quickly lifted the craft off and sped towards the fleet.

"WHAT!?" Magnar roared, furious. "THE ATMOSPHERE IS GONE!?" quickly, he got a hold of himself and calmed down. "Send down another squad of gyardsmen, and this time, give them oxygen tanks and helmets." he said calmly. The pilot knew how furious the inquisitor was. Despite the enormous difficulty of it, the Inquisitor had taken it upon himself to learn and memorise the names and personalities of every single man on that ship. He knew that the guardsmen who were dead had a lot of friends and family waiting for them back home. And those friends and family would never see them again. He went over to a chair, sat down and waited patiently for results from the next squad of guardsmen.

"Sir!" the pilot said after getting a vox message from the guardsmen's sergeant. "Sir, the guardsmen have found a vox message. From one of the planetary defense forces guardsmen. The vox message contains useless info, like the man getting promoted, but there could be more vox messages, like what attacked this world, and the guardsman might still be alive to tell us what happened if his vox recordings aren't adequate." The Inquisitor smiled widely. "Tell the men they did an excellent job, pilot. Then tell them to look for more." "Yes sir!"

Soon, the guarsmen had found four vox recordings in total. "Sir!" they voxed directly to the inquisitor. "We have found four vox recordings, and we think there are more. Also, the ones we have fiund already tell what invaded the planet. It was," the sergeant paused, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. "Tyranids." he finished simply.

Magnar sighed, realising he knew it wass the nids all along. "Damn beasts." he muttered. It wasn;'t difficult to tell what had happened to the planet. "There's really no point staying here, but... If the person who recorded the messages is still alive, it would be a first, so we should try and find him." but he had many doubts, especially about anyone surviving this long in no atmosphere. "Men, continue looking for vox messages, and start looking for the preson who recorded it, or any survivors. Then we need to try and find the tyranids who did this and destroy them. I want as few of those things in this galaxy as possible, and I want the tendril that got this world to be destroyed before they get back to the rest of the hive fleet and evolve with that damned biomass." he said angrily, looking at the world with disgust.


End file.
